DOH confirms recent rise of COVID-19 cases in hospitals

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday confirmed there is an upward trend in the number of confinement of COVID-19 patients in hospitals over the past weeks.

"We have been receiving reports na meron talagang pagtaas ng mga numero ng mga pasyente sa ating mga ospital for COVID-19 cases," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

Vergeire however dismissed the idea that a second wave of COVID-19 has already occurred in the country.

"Ang sinasabi namin there is a marked increase of cases. We are not going to say na it's a 'wave,' it's a 'surge.' Wala na ho tayong mga terminology na ganiyan dahil naguguluhan po ang ating mga kababayan," she said.

The vaccination rollout being conducted by local government units (LGUs) also had no relation to the recent rise of COVID-19 cases, the DOH official said.

"Definitely not. Ang bakuna po at ang vaccination ay makakaprotekta. Hindi 'yan magbibigay sa atin ng mga negative outcomes katulad ng pagtaas ng kaso," Vergeire said.

"Kung saka-sakaling iniisip nila na dahil doon sa mga ceremonial na naisagawa, kung 'yan ang pinupunto natin, we need to wait for another two weeks to see kung magkakaroon ng pagtaas ng kaso dahil sa nangyaring events na ito," she added.

Some of the country's top hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) have started to feel the effects of a steep increase in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks.

However, the OCTA Research team believes NCR is still in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In my perspective, we’re still on the first wave in NCR. For example, Cebu City, I think naka-third wave na yata sila. Still a long first wave [in NCR]. Na-reduce natin ‘yung cases, yes, but we haven’t reduced it to a very small number," Prof. Guido David of OCTA Research said, according to a report by Dano Tingcungco on 24 Oras.

"The rate of increase has not been seen in Metro Manila yet until now that’s why we hypothesize na this is driven by a variant because the rate of increase is not characteristic of Metro Manila’s coronavirus situation," David added.

"We can still curb this using other ways but we have to help each other. Kung ayaw nating mag-MECQ, let’s work together. Suotin niyo 'yung face mask niyo, face shield," he said.

On Friday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country reached 587,704, with a record-high 3,045 new cases reported that day. 

Total recoveries climbed to 535,207 with 178 new ones while 19 more fatalities brought the death toll to 12,423. —KG, GMA News